Improve Access to “Non-medical” supports
- MHSP Priority Area: Increasing Access to High-Quality Care
- Explore Pennsylvania Birthing-Friendly Hospital framework.
- Recommendation: Increase utilization of non-medical supportive services that can support greater cultural competency in perinatal care and improve health outcomes, like community health workers, peer services, and doulas by working with providers and payors to encourage greater partnership with and referrals to non-medical providers.
- Actionable Strategies: Improve Access to Non-medical supports
- Lead: Volunteers of America of PA
- Lead Web Site: https://www.voapa.org/
- Progress: In Progress
Data:
- 846 individuals served through VOAPA Health programs during FY2026 to date.
- 15 new healthcare, faith-based, and community partners engaged in Central Pennsylvania during the reporting period.
- Maternal Health services currently operating across Lehigh Valley, Northeast PA, Central PA, and Southwest PA.
- More than 90% of participants in Lehigh Valley identify as Hispanic/Latina and/or Spanish-speaking.
- Multiple educational groups, peer support activities, and community outreach events conducted to increase awareness and utilization of maternal health services.
Volunteers of America Pennsylvania (VOAPA) implements a Maternal Health Program that connects pregnant and postpartum individuals to non-medical supportive services through Community Health Workers (CHWs), Maternal Community Health Workers (MCHWs), doulas, peer support, transportation assistance, health education, and resource navigation. Services are provided across Lehigh Valley, Northeast Pennsylvania, Central Pennsylvania, and Southwest Pennsylvania through partnerships with managed care organizations, healthcare providers, hospitals, community based organizations, and local coalitions. The program focuses on reducing barriers to care, improving access to culturally responsive support services, increasing referrals to community resources, and promoting healthy maternal and infant outcomes. Special emphasis is placed on serving Medicaid-eligible families, underserved communities, rural populations, and Spanish-speaking families.
Improving Education and Screening via an App or Website
- MHSP Priority Area: Improving Rural Health and Maternity Care Deserts
- Explore Pennsylvania Birthing-Friendly Hospital framework.
- Recommendation: Collaborate with state agencies and other partners supporting rural healthcare development to leverage existing groups, venues and resources around rural health to assess available resources, determine needs, and work to create collaborative efforts in counties and regions and across payors to address lack of maternal care.
- Actionable Strategies: Improving Education and Screening via an App or Website
- Lead: NurturePA
- Lead Web Site: https://www.nurturepa.org/
- Progress: In Progress
Data: 6,100 people served since program inception in 2014
NurturePA provides free and confidential text message-based peer support that connects experienced moms with newer moms across Pennsylvania to offer personalized parenting encouragement, guidance, and resources through ongoing, one-on-one relationships. NurturePA is open to all moms across the state, regardless of income, age, or language spoken.
The organization's volunteer "mentor moms" represent a wide range of life experiences, but all have been mothers themselves and have completed a 10-module training curriculum based on American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations and the 5 Protective Factors to Prevent Child Abuse framework. Mentors work with up to 10 new moms to support them with practical parenting guidance mental health/resilience advice recommendations for age-appropriate activities that promote healthy development, bonding, and early literacy service referrals a nonjudgmental space to vent and ask questions and up to 8 postpartum depression/anxiety screenings in the first year postpartum.
NurturePA works with partners across sectors—including County Human Service/CYS agencies, birthing hospitals, OB/GYNs and nurses, therapists, doulas, and other nonprofit organizations—to reach birthing parents wherever they are. NurturePA's entirely text message-based model ensures that even mothers living without reliable internet coverage, transportation, or child care can always access someone who cares and can help, which makes it a great option for moms in rural areas.
Improve Access to “Non-medical” supports
- MHSP Priority Area: Expanding and Diversifying the Maternal Health Workforce
- Expand equitable maternal health apprenticeships.
- Recommendation: Begin work to develop health care apprenticeship opportunities that focus on training underrepresented populations to expand the number of BIPOC midwives, doulas, community health workers, and home visitors to make maternal health care professions and paid training opportunities accessible.
- Actionable Strategies: Improve Access to Non-medical supports
- Lead: Pennsylvania Community Health Worker Collaborative
- Lead Web Site: https://pachw.org/
- Progress: In Progress
Data as of September 30, 2026: 754 active Certified Community Health Workers (CCHWs)
The Pennsylvania Community Health Worker Collaborative (PACHW) has worked alongside CHWs, employers, community-based organizations, health systems, managed care organizations, policymakers, and the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) to advance sustainable financing for Pennsylvania’s growing CHW workforce.
A major milestone was reached in 2026 through Pennsylvania’s Physical HealthChoices program. Effective April 18, 2026, certified CHWs may enroll in Medical Assistance and provide covered services to eligible Physical HealthChoices members. PACHW has supported implementation through workforce education, technical assistance, employer and payer engagement, and ongoing identification of barriers and opportunities to strengthen the model.
This new reimbursement pathway represents an important step toward long-term CHW workforce sustainability. While current coverage remains limited in scope, it provides employers with a new opportunity to offset a portion of CHW service costs and creates a stronger foundation for continued investment in recruitment, paid training, apprenticeships, and other pathways that diversify and expand the workforce. Sustainable workforce development requires both accessible pathways into the profession and durable financing that allows organizations to retain CHWs after training or time-limited funding ends.
The work is statewide and supports CHWs and the organizations employing them across Pennsylvania, with continued opportunity to strengthen access for community-based organizations and expand the populations able to benefit from reimbursable CHW services, including pregnant and postpartum individuals.
Create a Nurse Home Visiting Apprenticeship Program
- MHSP Priority Area: Expanding and Diversifying the Maternal Health Workforce
- Expand equitable maternal health apprenticeships.
- Recommendation: Begin work to develop health care apprenticeship opportunities that focus on training underrepresented populations to expand the number of BIPOC midwives, doulas, community health workers, and home visitors to make maternal health care professions and paid training opportunities accessible.
- Actionable Strategies: Create a Nurse Home Visiting Apprenticeship Program
- Lead: National Nurse Led Care Consortium
- Lead Web Site: https://nurseledcare.phmc.org/
- Progress: In Progress
National Nurse Led Care Consortium Create will receive $37,000 to develop an apprenticeship curriculum for perinatal nurse home visitors in Pennsylvania. This work builds on the organizations work to date studying the feasibility and viability of a nurse home visiting apprenticeship. Additionally, the program will pursue state apprenticeship accreditation with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry.
Support CBOs responding to increased referrals
- MHSP Priority Area: Addressing Health Related Social Needs
- Strengthen housing, food, and transportation access.
- Recommendation: Explore and support existing policies and programs to improve housing and food security and access to transportation for pregnant and postpartum individuals and their families.
- Actionable Strategies: Support CBOs responding to increased referrals
- Lead: Volunteers of America
- Lead Web Site: https://www.voapa.org/
- Progress: In Progress
Data as of September 30, 2026: served 386 individuals; 1,411 pantry-related services and in person visits; 75 referrals received through PA Navigate
pdf Addressing Health Related Social Needs (HRSN) Actionable Strategies
Volunteers of America of Pennsylvania will recieve $32,580 to enhance maternal education and resource distribution, provide workforce training for workforce reentry after birth, and provide a Parent Peer Support program for pregnant and postpartum people across Pennsylvania.